Nate Heffron, city manager, city of Negaunee

NEGAUNEE — Negaunee Eagles FOE #1944 is soaring a bit higher this year with their most recent renovations and upgrades to their building in downtown Negaunee.

“Six volunteers did all the work and one contractor, it took from January to June to complete,” Trustee Chairman Kevin Johnson said.

The nearly $25,000 project included new coolers, a new bar top, new ice machine, and plumbing upgrades.

Over the past 5 years, the Eagles have been making minor to major repairs. As a volunteer organization, they had to proceed carefully and complete one project at a time. To date, they have invested around $50,000 in to their building.

Future Projects included maintenance to the backside of their building and pouring a cement pad to help clean up their grease disposal system.

If you haven’t been to the Negaunee Eagles, you might want to stop in and see about becoming a member, but what do they do?

According to the Fraternal Order of the Eagle website, the Eagles, as it is commonly called, is an international non-profit organization uniting fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills and promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope.

The Eagles are involved in an array of many great funding campaigns that help assist people that suffer health aliments and other worthy causes.

One of the organization’s most ambitious projects was the fight against diabetes.

The website says that on July 13, 2014, the Eagles made a $25 million pledge to the University of Iowa to fund the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center – a comprehensive research facility dedicated to progressing diabetes research in hopes of one day finding a cure.

The Diabetes Research Center, which opened Aug. 23, 2014, occupies 1.5 floors (20,000+ sq. ft.) within the John and Mary Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building. A team of 100 researchers works daily conducting a variety of research studies centered around maintaining, preventing and, ultimately, curing diabetes.

What does the organization do locally?

The Negaunee Eagles have been part of Negaunee since 1910 and have donated to many organizations like the Negaunee Fire Department, Negaunee Senior Center, and other organizations, as well as, scholarships.

“We also open our doors for funeral services to anyone. We have the space to offer families to gather for their loved ones, we see this as an important service we can offer our community,” Johnson said.

If you are interested helping in the good works of the Negaunee Eagles you can join the cause by becoming a member. Johnson said prospective members must be pledged by two current members and pay a $10 initiation fee. If accepted, a yearly membership fee of $30 for men and $24 for women would need to be paid.

The community assistance piece is just one aspect of being an Eagle. The organization also provides a great social outlet. A full bar year-round provides members and guests of members a relaxing atmosphere among friends. Perhaps you will be fortunate enough to experience one of their many delicious meals, especially their Friday fish fry! These meals are served September through May.

Investment in our downtown is important whether it be businesses, social organizations, or government. One project can lead to another, lifting the whole community. Together, Negaunee’s revitalization will lead to new interest, new investment, new jobs, and new beginnings. Thank you to the Negaunee Eagles for being a great example and for your investment in your community!